Travelogue around Asia Pacific

Kuala Lumpur - I am on the KLIA express typing this blog on my iPhone and the Internet access is good and best of all is free.  Left the Sentral station at 4pm and should reach the airport in 28 minutes.   Train ride is great and it is fuss free.  In the news are plans to build a high speed rail from Nanning, China passing through Hanoi in Vietnam, Vientiane in Laos, Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, Thailand’s Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia on its way to Singapore Read more: China announces high-speed rail link to Singapore via Vietnam http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/china-announces-high-speed-rail-link-singapore-vietnam-978932

Kuala Lumpur - It is this time of the year, where shouts of congratulations, success are mentioned to one another...as we dug into our delicious Yu Sheng.  This is a dish invented in Singapore and Malaysia and enjoyed but many chinese families around the world. The rituals Yusheng in chinese with yu means "fish" but sounds to another chinese word that means "abundance", while sheng literally means "raw" but sounds appropriately, it means "life". Thus Yusheng implies "abundance of wealth and long life". In Cantonese, it is known as lo sheng with lo also meaning "tossing up good fortune". The tossing action is called lo hei, which means to "rise" (hei), again a reference to a thriving business and thus its popularity with businessmen during the New Year. Step 1 : All at the table offer New Year greetings. Words mentioned: Gong xi fa cai meaning "congratulations for your wealth" or wan shi ru yi meanin...

Kuala Lumpur - I slept soundly on the plane coming over to Kuala Lumpur.   Last week was a long week for me - organizing the Tokyo conference.  The flight is short just shy of 45 minutes and was only woken up by the announcement of the pilot that we are landing soon. I had to walk 15 minutes to the shuttle bus bound for the arrival terminal because the Aerotrain is temporarily closed for upgrading.   From the KLIA website I gather that the KLIA Aerotrain is temporarily unavailable from 1 November 2010 to 15 March 2011 for upgrading works. To ensure smooth transfer of passengers between the Satellite Building and the Contact Pier, continuous shuttle busses are scheduled around the clock. When I reached the arrival terminal, it was crowded and the queue was snaking an endless bend.    There was this man with middle eastern features standing behind me trying to sneak in front of me.  I am really puzzzle as I was just in front of him...

Tokyo - 10 things that I have see and done.... (1)  The Imperial Palace and the Imperial Palace East Garden .   This is the home to Japan's imperial family.  Unfortunately, The Palace is closed all but 2 days of the year, but the East Garden has open all year and it's free.   I have been there twice since I started travelling to Tokyo.   (2)  Mount Fuji + (3) Hakone - I did a full-day trip with Phill many years ago.   This full day tour can be easily arrange by the Hotel front desk. (4)   Tokyo DisneyLand  + (5) Tokyo DisneySea - visited there 10 years ago.   Time for another visit but this time with my family. (6)  Ginza - This is one of the most expensive streets in Tokyo and it is worth a visit. (7)  Roppong i - Spend an evening exploring this location as they have interesting night life.  Visited this place again with my Korean friends. (8)  Akihabara - This place is...

Odaiba - from Miraikan we took the monorail to Palette town MEGA WEB.  It's an entertainment center that also houses Toyota Universal Design Showcase, Toyota City Showcase and Toyota History Garage. I only went to the Toyota History Garage.  Old toyota car Nostalgic Nine's Bar Texaco petrol station It was interesting to see people bringing their dogs on a leash to this shopping mall.    This is the first time I have seen anyone bring dogs to shopping mall - dog's are not allowed in any shopping mall in Singapore.  While we go bar for drink - so do dogs

Odaiba - We took the monorail to Odaiba - the monorail fare was expensive.   From a distance you will be able to see the Ferris Wheel, Fuji TV building To know more about Odaiba - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3008.html We visited the National Museum of Emgering Science also known as Miraikan .   Admission price is 600 Yen for adults but we paid each 480 Yen as we had more than 8 people.  This is a science museum open to all to share the new wisdom of the 21st century.  There are the Permanent Exhibition in 4 separate fields, theaters, library plus special exhibitions.   You have to pay extra for the special exhibitions.    They also have a Dome Theater where you can enjoy panoramic films and a planetarium located on the 7th floor.  Unfortunately, you have to book prior and it was fully sold out. Park and Lim Futuristic interiror

Tokyo - Lunch was Okonomiyaki and it was fun seeing friends cooking their meals over a hot plate.  Some had tried this dish before many were first timers - nevertheless the food was good.  An article I wrote before: http://countrytravel.blogspot.com/2007/09/okonomiyaki.html Oshio Restuarnt entrance Oshio menu Korean friends cooking their lunch..lol Kevin (half asleep waiting for his meal) with Armen Park, Lim and Daiseke

Tokyo - Yukiko and Daiseke brought the channel partners from Korea, Australia, Taiwan and myself (Singapore) around Tokyo.  She was the tour guide for the day.  Yukiko First stop, Tokyo Tower... The Tokyo Tower has been the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower since its completion in 1958.  The 333-metre tower is modelled after Paris Eiffel Tower, ony it's 13m taller.  Today, it efficiently serves as a TV and radio broadcast antenna. We just paid the tickets to bring us to the main observatory at 150m - it was breathtaking at such a height.  From a far, I could see Mt. Fuji in the distance and also visibily recognize some of the landmarks that I had visited before.    From the main observatory, you will get a 360-degree bird's eye view of Tokyo.  Taken from across the street I took this photo at the base of Tokyo Tower Group photo taken by me that's me in the centre ...

Asakusa -  Together with Korean, Malaysian and Taiwanese friends we hop onto the Metro bound for Asakusa.   This area is known for it old-town atmosphere and historic Buddhist temples.  Asakusa is one of Tokyo's most traditional neighbourhoods.  The finest part of Asakusa is centered upon several blocks around the centuries old Asakusa Kannon Temple also known as Sensoji, which itself is the main attraction of the area. It would be good to stop by the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information centre which is located very near to the Kaminarimon Gate.   The polite staff manning this Cultural office speaks good English and very helpful.  They were interested in where we come from. Once you cross the road from the Cultural Office you will notice many foreigners gathering around this area.  Kaminarimon Kaminarimon, the main gate of the Sensoji, had been burned down many times, and the previous gate was destroyed by a massive fire in 1865....

Tokyo - At around 5:30pm, after the conference proper, the channel partners met @ Premier Toyocho Building to catch the Bus tranfer which brought us to the Boat Pier to board the boat.  The Tokyo bay tour is a daily tour by Yakatabune Harumiya .  Some background on this company - The origin of HARUMIYA.  Previous generations fished and cultivated lave seaweed at Haneda, then three generations ago the fishermen relocated to Tsukishima.  Currently, a member of the Tsukudashima Fishermen's Guild, Harumiya, which is a yakatabune company has a long and distinguished history stretching back to the Edo period that includes supplying white fish to the family of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The company started its fishing boat business in the 1920s and was always a trend setter with the latest boats among those in Tokyo Bay.  Harumiya switched tot he yakatabune (Japanese roofed pleasure boats) business in the 1980s.  The fourth-generation owner continues to preser...

Tokyo - It was a nice and cold stroll down our dinner location @ Trattoria Liana (just opposite Hotel East 21).    Our gathering took half the space of the restaurant.   The Italian food was really delicious especially the Pizza.   But I think for some, the food was all good after many rounds of the free flow of booze and sake.  Combined it is a lethal cocktail of intoxication. It was also a day for a special lady - Terry Takenaka - her Birthday.   It was celebrated amongst channel partner, friends and colleaques.   I hope she was surprised... Daiseke, Hiroyuki and Ushiyama toasting James (Taiwan), Lim and Park (Korea) and Lesley Ron and Harry Young Jin gulping down his Sake Panettone Panettone is a type of sweet bread loaf originally from Milan (in Milanese it is called panaton),[1] usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year in Italy. It is like a big fruit cake. Me trying to take a big bite out...

Tokyo - Arrived on SQ 634 at Haneda Airport and it was a smooth flight.  Upon arriving met up with Lesley, his wife, Hisyam and Ali (from Malaysia) and off we go to our Hotel for the duration of the conference.    Getting around Tokyo is easy because of their superb train networks.   From Haneda airport to our Hotel at Tokyocho was a bit tricky as the station @ Nihonbashi had many train service running on that single train track and even one line going to Yokohama.   We need to get the right train to reach Tokyocho.   Asking the friendly Japanese never failed me - they are always polite and will render help readily. Hotel rates: USD 89 includes continental breakfast and free internet access R&B Hotel - is unique in many ways.   I have never stayed at such a hotel before.   BUT it was very clean. Pyjamas - At the Lobby, there are rows of pyjamas which are meant for Japanese workers who missed the l...